Device for extracting plastic, viscous, or semi-fluid materials from flexible tubes



Sept. 3, 1935.

J. S. MARTIN DEVICE FOR EXTRAGTING PLASTIC, VISGOUS OR SEMIFLUIDMATERIALS FROM FLEXIBLE TUBES Original Filed Nov. 1,

Fig 7 v 7 ,I'jtg 2 INVEN'F'IIIR /3 19 f 7 .6. 7 f t Patented Sept. 3, 1935 DEVICE FOR EXTRACTING PLASTIC, VIS- C UUS, R SEMLFLUID MATERIALSFROM FLEXIBLE TUBES James S. Martin, Gary, Ind.

Application November 1, 1932, Serial No. 640,636 Renewed July 27, 1935Claims.

This invention refers especially to devices for conveniently andeconomically extracting in small quantities as needed, plasticsubstances, such as tooth paste, shaving cream, library paste, etc., orviscous or semi-fluid materials, such as liquid glue, etc, from theflexible tubes, in which these substances are commonly sold.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a convenient holder for suchtubes, and an easy and quick method of extracting in quantities asneeded practically all of the contents of the tube; thus eliminating thewaste usually occurring, due to the impossibility of extracting all ofthe contents by pressure of the fingers.

Another advantage of my invention is that the amount of material to beextracted can be easily regulated, eliminating a frequent source ofwaste due to extraction of too large a quantity at one time, as oftenhappens when extraction is done by pressure of the fingers.

In the accompanying drawing the device is shown as follows,

Figure 1 shows an end view of the main support.

Figure 2 shows a face view of the main support.

Figure 3 shows a side view of the main support.

Figure 4 shows a front view of the upper roller.

Figure 5 shows an end View of the upper roller.

Figure 6 shows a side view of the lower roller.

Figure 7 shows an end view of the lower roller.

Figure 8 shows a side view of a compression spring.

Figure spring.

Figure squeezer.

Figure squeezer.

Figure 12 shows a side view of the assembled squeezer.

Figure 13 shows a side view of the assembled squeezer with a tubeinserted.

Figure 14 shows a side view of the assembled squeezer with a tubeinserted and partly wound up.

The squeezer consists essentially of a supporting base, I, from whichextend two arms, 2, in which the rollers are to be mounted. Intheextending arms, 2, there are holes, 3, and slots, 4, in which therollers are rotatably mounted, the slots making the necessary allowancefor variation in distance between the centers of the rollers, due to theincreasing thickness of the tube walls as the tube is wound up on oneroller. Provision is also made by holes, 5, for fixing one end of acompression spring at each end of the rollers, so that the rollers willbe pressed tightly together.

9 shows a top view of a compression shows an end view of the assembled11 shows a face View of the assembled The supporting base, I, may beprovided with holes, 6, for attaching the squeezer to the wall of aroom, and with hooks, I, for hanging tooth brushes, or other provisionmay be made for hanging shaving brushes.

The length of this supporting base is not vitally. essential. It may beextended beyond the space occupied by the extending arms, 2, so as toprotect the wall on which it is supported from being daubed with toothpaste, as the construction is shown on the accompanying drawing, or itmay be shortened, so that it only extends far enough to support theextending arms, 2.

The second essential part of the squeezer is a cylindrical roller, 8,which is provided with a spindle, 9, at one end, and an extendedspindle, II), at the other end, with a handle, II, at one end of thissecond spindle, for rotating the roller. The roller, 8, is also providedwith a longitudinal slot, I2, on one side, for the insertion of theflattened closed end of the tube. This slot may be cut radially to theaxis of the roller, but it is preferable to cut it along a chord of thecircular section of the roller, in such a manner that the tube will bebent more than 90 when it is passed through the rollers. The advantageof this is in the elimination of the tendency of the end of the tube toslip out of the slot, as it emerges from between the rollers during thefirst rotation.

The third essential part of the squeezer is a second coacting roller,I3, on each end of which there is a spindle, I l. Due to the fact thatthe coefficient of friction between a steel surface and the surface ofthe lead and tin alloys, of which flexible tubes are made, is very lowas compared to the coefficient of friction between two steel surfaces;it is necessary to make the diameter of the spindles of the free runningroller, I3, small as compared to the diameter of the roller itself;

otherwise, the roller will not turn, but will allow the tube to bedragged through between the rollers, making it difficult for a child tooperate the squeezer.

The fourth essential part of the squeezer is a pair of springs, I5, forproducing pressure between the rollers. These springs are made to matcheach other as rights and lefts. On one end of each spring there is ahook, I6, which engages on spindles, 9 and ID, of roller 8, pulling thatroller tightly against the ooacting roller, I3. On the other end of eachspring there is a transversely bent hook, II, for insertion in hole, 5,so as to anchor the spring to the supporting arm of the squeezer.

In assembling the squeezer, the spindles, I4 of roller, I3, are insertedin holes, 3, of the supporting arms, 2; the holes being large enough toallow the roller to rotate freely on its spindles. Roller, 8, is thenmounted in slots, 4, in the supporting arms. This roller also must befree to rotate. The hooks, H, of springs l5, are then inserted in holes,5, in the supporting arms, and the hook, N5, of the springs are drawn upand placed over the spindles, 9 and Ill, on the roller, 8.

For use, the squeezer is preferably attached to a wall or other support,by means of holes, 6. This is not absolutely essential, however, as thesqueezer may be used even when not attached to a solid support.

In using the tube squeezer, the flattened closed end of the tube, i8, isinserted in the slot, 12, in roller, 8, and by turning the handle, H,the roller, 8, is rotated and the tube is forced to pass between therollers, the pressure between the rollers expelling the contents of thetube in quantities regulated by the amount of rotation given to thehandle.

The location of holes, 3, and slots, d, in supporting arms, 2, is suchthat a plane passing through the axes of the rollers will not intersectthe plane of the supporting base at but will make an obtuse angle on theside next to the mouthv of the tube. By this arrangement the mouth ofthe tube is pushed away from the supporting base, as the tube is passedbetween. the rollers, thus giving rooom between the mouth of the tubeand the supporting base or wall of the room, to which it is attached, toplace the toothbrush or shaving brush so that it can receive the paste,without having to touch the supporting base or the wall of the room withthe brush.

. Having thus described the construction and operation of the tubesqueezer, what I claim as new 1. A tube squeezer consisting of asupporting base, a pair of bracket arms extending therefrom,

' a pair of coacting rollers, rotatably mounted on spindles in saidbracket arms, in such position that a plane passing through the axes ofthe rollers makes an obtuse angle with the surface of the supportingbase on the side of said rollers through which the mouth of acollapsible tube protrudes; one of said rollers being mounted incircular holes in said brackets, the other in slots in said brackets, soas to allow for variation in distance between centers of rollers; thelast mentioned roller being provided with a longitudinal slot in itscylindrical surface, to allow insertion of the flattened closed end of acollapsible tube, and with a handle at the end of one spindle forrotating the roller; and two springs acting upon the spindles of thelast mentioned roller to produce pressure betweenthe rollers.

2. A tube squeezer consisting of a supporting base, adapted forattachment to or suspension on the wall of a room, a pair of bracketarms extending from said base, a pair of coacting rollers rotatablymounted on spindles in said bracket arms, in such a position that aplane passing through the axes of said rollers makes an obtuse anglewith the surface of the supporting base on the side of said rollersthrough which the mouth of a collapsible tube protrudes; one'of saidrollers being mounted in circular holes in said brackets, the other inslots in the said brackets, so as to allow for variation in distancebetween centers of rollers; the last mentioned roller being providedwith a longitudinal slot in its cylindrical surface, to allow insertionof the flattened closed end of a collapsible tube, and with a handle atthe end of one spindle for rotating the roller; and two springs actingupon the spindles of the last mentioned roller to produce pressurebetween the rollers.

3. A tube squeezer consisting of a pair of rotating rollers, betweenwhich a collapsible tube may be passed; a pair of springs acting on thespindles of one roller to produce pressure between said rollers; asupporting base with two bracket arms extending therefrom, for mountingsaid rollers, one of these rollers being loosely mounted on spindles incircular holes in said bracket arms, so as to rotate freely fromfriction of the other roller or of the surface of the tube walls, theother roller, on which said pressure springs act, being provided with alongitudinal slot in its cylindrical surface for insertion of theflattened closed end of a collapsible tube, said slot beingunsymmetrically placed with regard to the circular section of saidroller, this roller also having a handle at the end of one spindle forrotating said roller, and being mounted in slots in said bracket arms,so as to allow for variation in the distance between centers of rollers.

4. A tube squeezer consisting of a pair of rotating rollers, betweenwhich a flexible collapsible tube may be passed; a pair of springsacting on the spindles of one roller to produce pressure between saidrollers; a supporting base with two bracket arms extending therefrom,for mounting said rollers; one of said rollers being mounted on spindlesin circular holes in the said bracket 1 arms and being free to rotatefrom the friction of the second roller pressing against it; the secondroller, on which the pressure springs act, be-

ing mounted on spindles in slots in the said bracket arms, so as toallow for variation in distance between the centers of the rollers, thissecond roller being rotated by a handle at the end of one spindle, andbeing provided with a longitudinal slot in its cylindrical surface forinsertion of the flattened closed end of a collapsible tube; the slotsand holes for mounting therollers being so arranged that a plane passingthrough the axes of the rollers will make an obtuse angle with the planeof the surface of the supporting base on the side of said rollersthrough which the mouth of a collapsible tube protrudes.

5. A tube squeezer consisting of a pair of rotating rollers, betweenwhich a collapsible tube may be passed; a pair of springs acting on thespindles of one roller to produce pressure between the rollers; asupporting base with two bracket arms extending outwardly therefrom formounting said rollers; one of said rollers being mounted on spindles incircular holes in said bracket arms and being free to rotate from thefriction of the second roller pressing against it; the second roller, onwhich the pressure springs act, being mounted on spindles in slots insaid bracket arms, so as to allow for variation in distance between thecenters of. the rollers, this second roller being rotated by means of ahandle at the end of one spindle, and being provided with a longitudinalslot in its cylindrical surface for insertion of the flattened closedend of a collapsible tube, this slot being unsymmetrically placedwithregard tothe circular section of the roller; the slots and holes in thebracket arms for mounting the rollers being so arranged that a planepassing through the axes of the rollers will intersect the plane of thesupporting base at an obtuse angle on the side of said rollers throughwhich the mouth of a collapsible tube protrudes.

JAMES S. MARTIN.

